* Psalm 130:7; “O Israel, (you), put your hope in the LORD: for with the LORD is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.” That sounds more like Jesus’ command to Peter; could it be that this man tapped into Peter’s account?
* Luke 22:32; “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
That was Jesus in the gospel of Luke giving Peter some cogent instructions on what to do, and how to take charge after His exit. But did Peter get that? An out-right yes or no answer will not be enough here; but please join me as we take a walk on this issue together.
And Peter returned from the sepulcher, and he told all these things to all the eleven, and also to all the rest.
…show more content…
It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they did not believe them. That was Mary Magdalene, the woman who cost the kingdom of darkness a big fortune when she came in contact with Jesus. By her divine encounter with Christ, the devil lost the services of seven of his precious demons in the life of that woman, --and ever since then, she never turned back from following Jesus even unto His death. Here, Mary Magdalene, together with her partners, had just given the apostles, led by Peter, detailed reports of their early visit to the sepulcher that morning. Not satisfied with the report, then Peter arose and ran unto the sepulcher; and on getting there and stooping down, he beheld only the linen clothes laid by themselves, without the body of the Lord; and not knowing exactly what to make of it, he departed, wondering in himself at that which might have come to pass, as foretold. If you think that Peter learned any lesson from the crowing of the cock and his denial, then you are in for a shock. Coming back from the sepulcher that day in all amazement, Peter transcended from mere wondering to discouragement and depression, to the point that Peter become totally disconnected. As the day then progressed to night, Peter announced, to the surprise or rather the admiration of the disciples, “I go fishing”. After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberius. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of the disciples. Simon Peter said unto them: I go fishing. They say unto him: we also go with you. Or what do you think? But then, the unthinkable happened as they went forth immediately and got into a ship to fish, but all through that night, they caught no fish at all. More frustrations, isn’t it? You can say that again. But that was not the end of the story, because eventually, the darkness of a long Tiberius night gave way for the warm, golden glow of a fresh morning. Do you remember what David said in Psalm 30:5? “For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Your weeping is over, child of God; believe that your season of joy has come, in Jesus’ Name. Moving back to that event of the Tiberius, you will notice that, off in the distance and a little hard work to do, we are compelled by circumstances of the moment to look at the floating vessel instead of the glowing sun appearing in the far off horizon. You will notice that, as the boat moves closer to the shore, the spirit of the men on board do not match the splendor of the new breaking day.
Look past their long flowing hair in the rough wind and catch a glimpse of their faces and you will see the effect of a wasted night.
If it were only a night, that won’t be much problem; but many have wasted their weeks, months, and even years in aimless toils. The tired eyes tell the story very well. These men have toiled all night on the Sea of Galilee and have caught absolutely nothing. It was Simon Peter who first offered the suggestion which, I believe, was supposed to be an escape route to divert attention from the event of the day; their visit to the sepulcher.
It was apparently hoped that the escape would help them forget the agony of the Master’s crucifixion, and also escape the hubbub surrounding His resurrection. It would afford them some time for a much needed diversion by doing something they enjoyed and were familiar with. After all, they had just spent the past few days in a terrain which was terribly unfamiliar to them. Therefore, when Peter announced: I go fishing; it would sound like a great idea to them all; the disciple all agreed without objection whatsoever.
When we are disconnected with God going a fish of sex sometimes become inevitable, how do you handle frustration and disappointment of
…show more content…
life? With Peter, James, and John (the seasoned fishermen) on board, it seemed to them that this was a time when the potential catch would really be excellent.
For them, this was more than a sport or diversion; it had been their livelihood and, of course, they were not content going out to sea and returning empty handed. This particular morning, on their way back to the shore, it was obvious to anyone taking a close look that the night’s expedition had not produced what they had hoped for.
But after hours of toiling and failure, it turned out that Jesus the Savior was patiently waiting for them on the shore. That sounds pretty good, a very significant moment I should say. It must have been a comfort and reassurance for them to know, just as we should too, of the only Savior who will always meet us even after we have failed; and make no mistake about this, please. Today, Jesus still waits on the shoreline of human disappointments, offering hope and second chance to all who will but accept it.
When Peter and the others were still in the boat, Jesus called out to them. Even before they ever made it to dry land, he asked them: “have you caught anything?” Disappointed, they simply answered, ‘no’. There were no small talks, no explanation on why, no opinion offered, no discussion of the sea’s turbulent condition, or how the wind or stars or some other element may have kept them from catching any fish that night; just a simple and concise
‘no’. Have you ever really ask why you are having reoccurring disappointment in life? It was the disciples’ way of saying they did not want to discuss the matter because there actually was no need of it. Have you ever experienced a ‘no-moment’ when it seems everything is going against you? Perhaps you have tried your best to brave out on a veneer happy face, smiling through all of your disappointments as if they don’t really exist, and faking your feelings until you just cannot take it anymore. After the abrupt ‘no’, Jesus said to them authoritatively: “now, cast your net on the right side of the ship and you shall find”; (John 21:6). To this, the Bible records that there were so many fishes hauled in that day that their net broke! There were 153 large fishes, snared, flopping in the net. And suddenly their spirits soared and pure delight replaced their despondency as, for the first time, they now recognized Jesus. Jesus had stood on the shore after their fruitless night and spoke to them earlier, but then, they did not recognize him. In their frustration and distress, the disciples must have thought he was just another man. In the pang of failure, it is often difficult to hear or see the Lord for whom He truly is. But the good news is that if we do not see Him, He can always see us. Be assured of this, He knows your location and is waiting even in the midst of your failure. As I read this story, this fact becomes clearer to me. This is not just about a successful fishing expedition, or even having to have something to eat. As a matter of fact, when the disciples came to shore, they discovered that there were already some fishes on the fire and fresh bread beside. This account is about Jesus not given up on any of His own. And, beloved, no one really needs this massage more than you do. As I am about to draw the curtain on this chapter, I want to pray for you from Paul’s prayer for the Roman brethren. * Rom.15:13; “Now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit;” in Jesus’ Name. May God the Almighty fill you with hope through the power of His Holy Ghost to enable you recover whatever you have lost or exchanged through illicit sex, now, in Jesus Name; Amen.
When spending time as a prisoner, many things come to mind. How to achieve survival, when is the next shipment of food coming, why is the only person who will keep their promise the man holding me behind bars? In Night by Elie Wiesel, Elie is taken from his hometown and placed in Auschwitz to do hard labour until he is transferred to the Buna prison camp. While in Buna, Elie works until the end of WWII. During the time Night takes place, Elie is 15 years of age, a 10th grader. When put in Auschwitz, Elie has only his father even though on arrival, he was also with his mother and two sisters. During this “[s]lim novel of terrifying power” (New York Times 2008) Elie has his coming of age moment along with some questions and a very powerful statement that “[n]ever shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as long as God Himself [sic].”. (Wiesel 34). Elie
Elie was facing his punishment because he walked in on Idek on a private moment. The only thoughts running through his mind were: " If only I could answer him, if only I could tell him that I could not move. But my mouth would not open." The text illustrates the pain taking over Elie's body as he was being whipped by Idek. This quote demonstrates his silence because he was unable to speak nor could he contradict his superior's motive. Elie Wiesel was stating that although your voice is always with you, sometimes it is inappropriate and not allowed.
Night by Elie Wiesel was a memoir on one of the worst things to happen in human history, the Holocaust. A terrible time where the Nazi German empire started to take control of eastern Europe during WWII. This book tells of the terrible things that happened to the many Jewish people of that time. This time could easily change grown men, and just as easily a boy of 13. Elie’s relationship with God and his father have been changed forever thanks to the many atrocities committed at that time.
However, the servant to a Dutchman was not like this at all. He was loved by all and, "He had the face of a sad angel." (Wiesel 42). However, when the power station that the child worked at blew up, he was tortured for information. But the child refused to speak and was sentenced to death by hanging.
The significance of night throughout the novel Night by Elie Wiesel shows a poignant view into the daily life of Jews throughout the concentration camps. Eliezer describes each day as if there was not any sunshine to give them hope of a new day. He used the night to symbolize the darkness and eeriness that were brought upon every Jew who continued to survive each day in the concentration camps. However, night was used as an escape from the torture Eliezer and his father had to endure from the Kapos who controlled their barracks. Nevertheless, night plays a developmental role of Elie throughout he novel.
Elie Wiesel has gone through more in life than any of us could ever imagine. One of my favorite quotes from him says, “To forget a holocaust is to kill twice.” In his novel “Night” we are given an in-depth look at the pure evil that was experienced during the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. We see as Wiesel goes from a faithful, kind Jewish boy to a survivor. As he experiences these events they change him drastically. We first see a boy with a feeling of hope and ignorance as his hometown is occupied and he’s moved into the ghettos. Then as he’s transferred to a concentration camp he questions his faith and slowly loses a sense of who he once was. But all of this puts him in an important position, he knows that he must share with the world what
“Even in darkness, it is possible to create light”(Wiesel). In Night, a memoir by Elie Wiesel, the author, as a young boy who profoundly believed in his religion, experiences the life of a prisoner in the Holocaust. He struggles to stay with his father while trying to survive. Through his experience, he witnesses the changes in his people as they fight each other for themselves. He himself also notices the change within himself. In Night, it is discovered that atrocities and cruel treatment can make decent people into brutes. Elie himself also shows signs of becoming a brute for his survival, but escapes this fate, which is shown through his interactions with his father.
One statement that is believed to have been said by Jesus of Nazareth, according to the gospel of Thomas, was of the parable of an intelligent fisherman. In this parable, Jesus
In the memoir, Night, author Elie Wiesel portrays the dehumanization of individuals and its lasting result in a loss of faith in God. Throughout the Holocaust, Jews were doggedly treated with disrespect and inhumanity. As more cruelty was bestowed upon them, the lower their flame of hope and faith became as they began turning on each other and focused on self preservation over family and friends. The flame within them never completely died, but rather stayed kindling throughout the journey until finally it stood flickering and idle at the eventual halt of this seemingly never-ending nightmare. Elie depicts the perpetuation of violence that crops up with the Jews by teaching of the loss in belief of a higher power from devout to doubt they endure.
In the memoir, Night, Elie Wiesel remembers his time at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Elie begins to lose his faith in God after his faith is tested many times while at the concentration camp. Elie conveys to us how horrific events have changed the way he looks at his faith and God. Through comments such as, “Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God, my soul, and turned my dreams into dust,” he reveals the toll that the Holocaust has taken on him. The novel begins during the years of 1942-1944 in Sighet, Transylvannia, Romania. Elie Wiesel and his family are deported and Elie is forced to live through many horrific events. Several events such as deportation, seeing dead bodies while at Auschwitz, and separation from his mother and sisters, make Elie start to question his absolute faith in God.
...e around us, we can agree with Mr. Sankey the hymn writer, faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
The Bible shows God constantly pursuing His people and man rejecting him over and over again. This passage displays this ongoing struggle by showing all Jesus did for us and how the people still shunned and rejected him. However, this passage also gives reassurance that it is never too late to repent and accept the Lord. This passage displays some important themes of the Bible: man’s redemption, God’s forgiveness and grace, and the blessing of a relationship with God. This passage is essentially the message of the Bible in one small
“The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. Now therefore why are yo...
During the year of Jesus death and resurrection, the disciples all gathered for Pentecost, which ...
...lled me to submit to that supervisor. Jesus empowered his disciples to perform tasks and go out and fulfill their calling.